


Marks

by August_Flower



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Altean Lance (Voltron), Canon Compliant, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, How Do I Tag, Keith helps Lance with his grief, Keith/Lance (Voltron) Fluff, Lance (Voltron) Angst, Multi, Pining Keith (Voltron), Post-Season/Series 08 Finale, Socially Awkward Keith (Voltron), lance has a cat
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-15
Updated: 2018-12-15
Packaged: 2019-09-18 15:59:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,041
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16998105
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/August_Flower/pseuds/August_Flower
Summary: "Everytime I look in the mirror, everytime I see my damn reflection, I'm reminded of how I couldn't save her! I loved her and she was torn away from me!”----Keith helps Lance with his grief for Allura.





	Marks

The gate to the fence is open, crisp air and dead leaves tickling the scar on his cheek. The Juniberries smell is overwhelming. He can hear the moos from Kaltenecker and her companions, and chickens clucking. He doesn’t see Lance. The porch light is on, a blue cardigan left abandoned on a rocking chair.

Kosmo sits beside him, waiting patiently. He tilts his head at his owner, as if to ask “what are you waiting for?”

“I just need a minute Kosmo.” Keith says, giving him a pat.

“Keith!” He startles, Lance’s voice calling him from behind. He whips around, almost stumbling.

Lance has a leash in one hand, attached to a cat, and a bag in the other. The cat seems happy, covered in gray fur with blue eyes. It meows in greeting as they walk up to Keith.

“Sorry, I was taking Azula for a walk, she actually really enjoys the leash, won’t leave the yard without it,” Lance bends down to give her a scratch, “did you need something?” He smiles.

Keith flushes a light pink, stammering  “Uh, I uh, I just...I wanted to visit. See how you were doing. You know it’s been a while.”

Lance’s smile fades immediately, and he averts his gaze, “It’s pretty chilly out here, why don’t you come in. I think I have that tea you like.” 

“Sure, okay, yeah lets do that,” he begins to follow Lance into the house but stops, “wait, will Kosmo and Azula get along okay?” 

“They should be fine, Azula gets along with practically anyone.” 

Kosmo lets out a contented bark, following the trio into the house.

The smell of cinnamon wafts through the room when they enter. He releases Azula from her leash, and she dashes away into the living room. Lance then leads them into the kitchen, turning on the kettle. Keith stands at the doorway, awkwardly, feeling like an intruder. He can’t help but notice the slight slump to Lances shoulders, the lines under his eyes, the wind blown hair he hasn’t bothered to fix yet. 

“You can sit you know, there are plenty of chairs,” He says with a lazy gesture. He pulls down two mugs.

Keith sits at the island counter, glancing around the room. The kitchen seems almost empty without his family taking up most of the space. Pictures hang from the wall, mostly of times before the war. He can’t help but notice how most of the glass to the frames are cracked, and some of the pictures water damaged. 

Lance notices him staring, “we managed to salvage what we could in Cuba.” he sighs, “Rachel had some of them backed up on her phone, but we lost a lot. I didn’t realize until after we came back.”

“Was it bad?” He asks before he can stop himself.

“Our house on the beach was destroyed. Flooded. It's a wonder we even managed to get these out,” he reaches a hand out to one and takes it off the wall.

Keith can see a glimpse of it as Lance stares at it with longing. A young Lance, maybe 6 or 7 on his brothers shoulders, he's not sure which one, the rest of his family laughing as they try to get it together for the picture. Behind them is a quaint double decker with white siding, and a tiny porch. 

The kettle whistles, Lance dropping the picture almost too quickly to turn off the stove. Keith manages to catch the frame before it can fall off the counter and shatter even more. 

“It looked like a nice place, I'm sorry it was destroyed,” Keith says. He gingerly places the photo down. 

“It was my childhood home. When Veronica got her job at the Garrison we moved up here, but we still took summer trips to that house,” he hands one of the mugs to Keith, “ when we were in space I really wanted to visit it again. Now that'll never happen. Just another thing the war took. It took innocent lives. My home. Allura.” 

Keith stops stirring his tea. Lance's head is down, turned away, but he can see the tear drops fall on to the counter, and the shuddering of his back as he breathes. 

“They're not gone Lance. You can rebuild your home. And Allura will always be with you-”

Lance's head snaps up, “In the form of these marks! Everytime I look in the mirror, everytime I see my damn reflection, I'm reminded of how I couldn't save her! I loved her and she was torn away from me!” 

He's shaking even harder now, grip knuckle white on the counter. Tears flow freely over his marks, down his face and chin. 

“I know you loved her Lance. And I know how painful it can be to lose someone you love. I didn't mean the marks. I meant in your heart. She'll always be with you in your heart.”

“Oh what do you know!” he mumbles, turning his back to Keith.

“My father died when I was 8 years old Lance. I didn't have anyone.” 

Lance freezes. 

“It hurts. I couldn't do anything about my father's death, and I know it's not the same, but I do know it hurts. He's always with me. His memory is always with me. It gets better Lance.”

“B-but Allura...I don't know how I can live without her. I see her everywhere.” 

“You can’t let it consume you. You have to keep going Lance, you need to live your life.”

“I just...I can’t Keith.”

“You can. Look at all you’ve done. You’re a beautiful person. I know if anyone can do it, it’s you.”

The floodgates are opened, and Lance nearly falls to his knees, if it weren’t for the steadying hand Keith reaches out with. He’s gasping, loud sobs torn from him as Keith lowers them to the floor gently. He reaches up to wipe a tear from Lances cheek, and his marks glow. Brighter than ever. He gasps, touching a finger himself to the other. 

And shakily, Lance smiles. That real genuine smile Keith hasn’t seen for ages. He wipes the rest of his tears on his sleeve, and slowly looks into Keith’s eyes.

“Thank you, Keith.”

**Author's Note:**

> This came from a headcanon of mine, where Keith helps Lance grieve and heal over time, eventually leading to them finally falling in love. Right now, they're good friends in this fic, but you can see it as a start to something more later in their lives.


End file.
